When Steven Soderbergh remade ratpack favourite Ocean’s 11 in the early 2000s, he not only assembled one of the all-time-great ensemble casts – he reinvigorated the heist movie in the process. First, in 2001, came Ocean’s Eleven, with all its swaggering Vegas charm. Then came Ocean’s Twelve in 2004, bringing greater ambition with multiple European heists. And then, capping it all off in 2007, was the all-glam Ocean’s Thirteen, dialling up the star power even further to deliver one last great score.
With the entire legendary Ocean’s trilogy now available on 4K, it’s the ideal time to revisit the legendary filmsat home – here’s every crew member you need to pull off the ultimate heist.
The Mastermind
Danny Ocean (George Clooney)
The brains of the operation. Danny Ocean always has a scheme and a dream on the go, steps ahead of everyone else – and, crucially, always multiple moves ahead of even the most high-tech casinos. Whether sprung freshly from prison, forced to claw himself out of a financial hole, or simply protecting one of his fellow partners, Danny is always looking for his next big win.
The Wingman
Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt)
If Danny Ocean has a plan, you can bet it involves Rusty – cool, charismatic, and a rare person able to keep up with Ocean’s omniscient mind. Together, the pair can cook up genius schemes; and, like Danny, Rusty can bring his considerable charm into play whenever the team need a handy distraction.
The Pickpocket
Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon)
Eyes on your possessions, people – if it’s not tied down, Linus is taking it. When he first joins Ocean’s crew in Eleven, the fresh-faced Caldwell is a master of sleight of hand, able to pinch and pilfer without anyone batting an eyelid. Later on, he works to become even more integral to the crew – going full method-actor in Thirteen (complete with prosthetic nose) to help pull off Ocean’s biggest scheme.
The Double
Tess Ocean (Julia Roberts)
Ocean’s wife – then ex-wife, then wife again – tries to keep out of his business dealings. But in a pinch, Tess will throw herself into the mix; as she does in Ocean’s Twelve, reluctantly getting involved in a plot to swipe a Fabergé egg. The plan? She’ll pose as Julia Roberts, to whom she bears a striking resemblance. The likeness is uncanny, really.
The Boomer
Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle)
Need something blowing up? Look no further than Basher, a cockney geezer (brace yourself for that accent, Brits) who loves nothing more than getting to make sweet mayhem with whatever explosive you choose. Need the power taking out? Get Basher on it. Need to simulate an earthquake? Bring in Basher. Bish bash bosh.
The Chameleons
Virgil and Turk Malloy (Casey Affleck, Scott Caan)
Whatever odd job needs filling in an Ocean heist, Virgil and Turk will be on the case – two bickering twin brothers who aren’t afraid to get into the stickiest parts of any scheme. They’ll don any disguise, create any distraction, sneak past any guard, and take on any surveillance task, all to make the job easier for everyone else.
The Acrobat
Yen (Qin Shaobo)
Sometimes a plan calls for someone to squeeze into somewhere no human being should be able to fit. But not The Amazing Yen – a man of infinite flexibility, who can be smuggled in or out of pretty much anywhere. He’ll fold in half to be wheeled into a casino vault; he’ll be zipped up in a sports bag to smuggle his way onto a coach; he’ll navigate any lift shaft. How much yoga does that require?
The Legend
Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner)
Very few things can beat experience. And while he’s one of the oldest members of the team, Saul brings a sense of cool, calm, collectedness to proceedings – always there to pitch in when the team needs a steady hand. Whether you need him to play an arms dealer, a Swiss doctor, or a hotel reviewer, you can trust him to get the job done.
The Businessman
Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould)
If you want to take down a casino, you need a guy who knows the business inside out. Enter Reuben, who used to be in the Vegas big-leagues before being muscled out by other ruthless execs – now ready to help Danny Ocean steal from all the people in town who thwarted him. Big specs demand big respect.
The Dealer
Frank Catton (Bernie Mac)
It’s not enough just to be pulling the strings behind the scenes – you also need someone on the casino floor who can blend in seamlessly with the regular staff. That’s Frank, whose card dealing expertise – and bags of personality – means he can insert himself into any game without raising suspicion.
The Eagle Eye
Livingston Dell (Eddie Jemison)
Some members of the team keep it old-school. But Livingston Dell has his head in the tech side of things, never meeting a mainframe he couldn’t infiltrate – hacking into security, altering casino gear, and making sure the rest of the team stay off the grid. Sometimes, he even lends his skills to the FBI (just, not at the risk of Ocean’s crew).
The Mogul
Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia)
For the most part, Terry Benedict is a foe of Ocean and team – the owner of the Bellagio, MGM Grand, and The Mirage, begging to be taken down a peg or two. But come Ocean’s Thirteen, he’s rounding out the group to help take down Al Pacino’s Willy Bank, his big-money rival. Sometimes, the best asset for your crew is someone that nobody would ever suspect is on your side.